I finally went to see the recent Italian film, “We Have A Pope,” by filmmaker Nanni Morietti. I was the only person at the late showing yesterday, during what I assume is its last week in town. No worries, though, if you missed it. I almost wish I had, but I feel some kind of professional obligation to see films with religious themes since I taught courses on religion and film for more than 30 years.

The film’s premise is promising. A back-bencher gets elected pope when there aren’t enough votes for any front-runner. He accepts his election, but then gets cold feet. The Vatican finds ways to delay any public announcement once he escapes his minders and spends several days in the streets of Rome trying to decide what he should do.

As I say, it could have been interesting had the writer/director really been concerned with exploring the conflicted spirit of the man who, in the film’s last scene (WARNING: plot spoiler) publicly renounces his papacy. For in his short remarks to the cheering throng he says that the pope needs to be strong enough to change things in the church, and loving enough to reach out to the wounds of the world. Then he announces: “I am not that man,” and the crowd grows silent as the film ends.

Yet Morietti seems more interested in having a little Italian fun, and the film (even with the promising premise) is soon revealed as sophomoric farce. It is less concerned to explore the thoughts and motivations of the central character than to poke fun at two sets of “soul guides” – the cardinals assembled from throughout the world and the psychiatrists they invite to help the newly elected Pope come to terms with his election.

The new pope is very well-acted, and his various encounters – with church leaders, psychiatrists, people of Rome – provide ample opportunity to explore his character. But it turns out that they are just filler, with lots of beautiful scenery, to keep some suspense while Morietti gets to the real action – his satirical/farcical presentation of the cardinals and the divorced husband and wife psychiatrists. All funny enough, along with the gentle non-exploration of the central character, which is why most reviewers have been gentle enough in their criticism. So what’s my beef?

It’s once again “Hollywood’s” general inability to deal with priest (and nun) characters – this time with a twist of Italian humor. Initially presented as somberly serious, the cardinals gathered to elect the new pope soon become “keystone cop” masquerades running hither and yon as they fret about their new man’s indecisiveness. At least the satire on the shrinks has some clever density and bite. The cardinals become little more than a crowd of senile clowns, with little density or bite. (Same with the occasional shots of nuns playing stereotypically silent roles.) The intended satire shows itself as little more than superficial farce before the film is half over.

I’m not against satire or comedy directed at priests, even at cardinals and the pope. But when can we get beyond the endless clerical clichés that have filled our cinema, here and in Europe, for far too long? How about some truly insightful satire rather this tired slapstick? Probably that would have required more courage.

How about something that actually takes the plot’s premise seriously? That looks seriously, even if sarcastically, at the human foibles and failures of the pope and other priests. Something like Karl Malden as the courageous priest in “On the Waterfront” – one of the few great priest characters in our American cinema. Or the great and occasionally comic depiction of a group of French monks in last year’s “Of Gods and Men.” But such real and dense presentation is rare in our cinema. What we mostly get is drivel like this.

Where is your moral compass pointing? What are your social values? Hark will explore faith, morals, ethics and character at the intersection of religion ethics, culture, politics, media, science, education, economics and philosophy. At times this blog will alert readers to breaking news and trends. At times it will attempt to look more deeply into intriguing subjects. Hark means to listen attentively, and we will, as readers talk back to the news.